In Sickness and in Heath
by KelbyWoo14
Summary: Feeling nostalgic over this show. It needs an ending so here is the beginning at the end. Takes place post season 6 after the plane crash. Told from Jordan's perspective. There are cases and Woody and Jordan together finally. If Woody proposed would Jordan say yes? What would happen after? Can Jordan settle down or will she keep running?
1. Chapter 1

We were finally safe, back at home. Woody and I went into my apartment still frazzled, but ecstatic from the adrenaline of the near death experience, the realization that we were alive and together. We sat down on the couch and he held me close. "Jordan, are you going to run?"

I looked up at him puzzled. "No, I don't plan on leaving you." As I said it the realization of what I was thinking hit me and my fight or flight suddenly kicked in.

"I can see it in your eyes, Jordan. You're freaked."

"That's doesn't make what I said a lie. I'm not going anywhere no matter how scared I get."

Something was going through his head. Before I could tell what was going down he knelt on one knee in front of me. "If you mean it, marry me." There was a pause.

I didn't know what to say. We hadn't ever really been together as a couple, not seriously anyway.

"I love you and the fact that you aren't running means you love me back. If we don't just get married, will you ever marry me?"

"I never thought about it."

"So?" He pulled out the ring I had turned down as a birthday gift before. "What do you say?"

I walked into work, just one of those days. My cell rang as I was walking in. "Hello, Jordan I need you down by the bridge." I turned tail and walked out of work. When I arrived at the scene, there were three bodies partially wrapped under some wreckage. It was a family; an older man, a young woman, and a young boy about 8 years old. I starred, Dr. Macey approached. "Jordan, snap out of it. We've all been there."

I shook it off and went to work. The father had died several hours before the mother and child, they had only died about three hours ago. I bent down and started to note the bruising, states of the body, the father had been shot, the mother and child had no visible or easily discernable injuries.

I practically jumped out of my skin when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned; it was Woody. "So, what have we got."

I explained my findings and then went over to the road to wait for the van that would take the bodies back to the morgue. Macey came up behind me. "Jordan, you're crying?"

I wiped my eyes. "No, I'm not. You didn't see anything." I laughed it off. "Don't worry about me. I'm solid as a rock."

I drove back down to the morgue and ran for fingerprints and tried to figure out the differences in COD and TOD. After two hours I still had nothing. I called my father to come down and help me out with piecing the evidence back together.

"I'll be the father." My dad said. "I'm with my family. It's cold out, we take refuge under the bridge."

"Wait, the dad didn't die there. The mother and child did, but his lavidity doesn't match the scene. He was moved and there wasn't enough blood at the scene for a gun shot."

"Okay, my body is left here after I get shot somewhere else. My wife and kid come looking for me, find me here and…" He stops. "There's too much missing Jordan."

I sigh, "I know." It doesn't make sense. "I'll take another look."

Bug came into the room. "I got the tox screen back, they were all poisoned. If the father hadn't been shot, he would of died anyway."

Woody came in, "We dredged the gun out of the lake. We need Nigel to get the serial number and determine what he can from it."

"Why?"

"The thing's mangled."

Nigel managed to trace the gun back to a Vincent Marlow, married to Alice Whipman, and a son named Donald. It matched, but how did it go down.

Woody was in the room now, "Who do you want to be?"

"I'll be Alice."

"I guess that makes me Vince."

"We're sick, we don't know why. Donnie's complaining."

"Why are we under the bridge?"

I look up remembering the road above and where it came from. She didn't have a phone. "We were in the park, Donnie was playing near the edge. I dropped my cell phone. I climbed down to go get it."

Woody's eyes lit up. "I stay behind with Donnie, I don't want him to climb down."

"I go down and you get shot." I pause. "Who's there?"

Woody, "I'll send a forensics team to the top of the bridge! You're too good Jordan!"

When they return they have Alice's cell phone and blood evidence that the shooting took place at the top of the bridge.

Something didn't feel right. "Where did you find her cell phone?"

They didn't get it. "It was in the brush."

"How many feet away from the bridge?"

Something clicked in Woody's head. "The cell phone wasn't dropped. It was thrown. She was in on it. She created a reason to leave the bridge, but still why would she leave her son with his father if she was helping kill him."

"Maybe it wasn't the plan. Maybe she wasn't in on his murder, but on something else."

"On what?" Woody asked.

"How am I supposed to know? You're the detective."

Woody got a list of all the numbers she called in the last few weeks. He highlighted the most frequent number. " This is the number of an Alby Keegan, he lives on the north side of the bridge, formerly of county prison on grand theft and assault."

I corrected the way he said the name, he looked at me like it wasn't important. "He's Irish, and we have a problem." I smiled, "He's one of Hanrahan's thugs."

Woody brought him in and interviewed him while I watched behind the glass. "You have been calling Alice Marlow a lot lately. How do you know one another?"

He smiled, not knowing what this was about. "She's my girl, she hates that husband of hers. He treats her and Donnie like shit."

"Well, you better not be leaving town Alby, because that sounds like motive." Woody got up.

"Motive for what?" Alby actually looked scared.

"The three of them were murdered and it looks like you got yourself in the middle of it." Woody left.

Alby looked at the mirror he knew was a window. "Jordie, you got to help me."

I looked at Woody, he nodded and I went in.

"I need the truth Alby."

"I wouldn't kill them, if anything Marlow wanted to kill me. He found out that Donnie wasn't his and he thought that I…" He trailed off crying.

"Are you the kid's father?"

He shook his head. "I didn't know who was."

I nodded. "Thanks Alby, but still, don't leave town."

I went back into the other room. "I don't think he did it.'

"Maybe Marlow found out who the father was, maybe he did the murders himself, for revenge." Woody suggested.

"Marlow already freaked out at Alby, he was hell bent on giving the father a piece of his mind, we find Donnie's dad, and we find the killer."

Woody didn't like this theory. "A father wouldn't kill his own son."

I lowered my gaze; I had already worked on cases where it had happened.

"How are we going to find the boy's father?"

"His DNA, if he's got a record he'll be in the system."

We got a hit on codis and we got an address. Woody and I went into the apartment; the door was left open. We slowly went around the corners. He wasn't in the apartment; he came in with a bag of laundry over his shoulder. When he saw us he dropped his stuff and ran. We chased him two blocks. Woody caught him and pinned him. "I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Why'd you run James?"

"You freaks were in my house, you had guns, what would you do?"

I smiled; I pulled my gun from my belt. "Get our guns!"

Woody cracked a smile and then went very serious. "Not okay Jordan."

"What?"

We questioned him this time. Woody showed him the photographs, "your girl Alice and your son Donald were killed a few days ago. Where were you?"

He looked confused. "I don't have any kids!"

I came into the room and stood in the back. "Your DNA is a 99.9% match to Donald Marlow. You are the boy's father."

"I'm not anyone's father, I needed some extra cash so I donated, you know what I mean. The boy's not really mine. I got no claim over him. Didn't even know he existed."

Woody was about to leave. "You're lying."

"Jordan?"

"Wait, Woody, you knew about him didn't you. Alice told her husband and he came looking for you and he found you. If you didn't kill them, who did James?"

"I can't…"

"You may not have had claim over that boy, but he was your son. Now, who killed him?"

"My girlfriend found the photograph that Alice mailed me, he was eight years old. She thought I cheated on her back then, but I didn't. She came back home a few days ago and said that she'd taken care of it. I didn't know what she meant until I saw it on the news and then I thought if I came forward she'd kill me or I'd go to jail for knowing about it, that or get blamed for it."

We arrested Olivia Mather later that evening when she showed up at James' house for dinner. She confessed to poisoning him, but she said that James shot the guy. She also said that she didn't mean to kill the little boy. We found the gun so we knew that wasn't how it went down. She had bought the gun at a pawnshop, we had her on tape and her fingerprints were on the weapon.

I went back to the morgue and signed the three out to a grandparent. Lilly handled the release and I headed home. I took a long shower and slipped into my pajamas. I curled up under the covers shivering from my wet hair. Woody slipped into bed behind me and wrapped his arms around me to keep me warm. "Hello my wife."

"Goodnight Woody!" I smiled.

"I love you Jordie."

"You too Woody."


	2. Chapter 2

I was wearing the ring on my left hand. I wasn't going to make some big announcement. Eventually, everyone would just figure it out.

I had filed all the paperwork for a name change over the weekend and now I had to tell Garret so that he'd write out my checks to the right name on my account: Jordan Hoyt.

When I walked into my office Jan followed me in with a package. "Sign Dr. Cavanaugh."

I thought about correcting her, but it was so awkward, I couldn't. I wasn't even used to the name yet.

I did sign my new name though. She didn't notice.

I opened the box; it was a new M.E. badge from the city with my new name on it. I swapped it out for the one that was currently on my belt and put the old one in my desk.

I simply took the nameplate off my desk since Garret would have to order me a new one.

I went into autopsy 2 and performed a typical sign out case. Old age, natural causes. With any luck the day would be uneventful and my news wouldn't be the metaphorical stick that breaks Macey's back. His metaphor, not mine.

Nigel rushed in, "We just landed the case of the century sweetheart."

It was one of those high profile cases where they don't tell you anything because they want your report to be subjective.

Nigel prepped everything.

I felt sick for a moment, but it passed.

I took a primary look at the body; Nigel dusted for prints and particulates and I noted the bruising. There were too many to note quickly, every limb was marked in some way, but most were light in coloration.

They suggested that he'd had the crap kicked out of him in the last week. I held the blade to create the T incision when Lilly ran in. "Stop!"

"What is it Lilly?"

I felt sick again.

"Don't make that cut if you value having Woody around."

I lifted both hands in the air. "Would you explain Lilly?"

"That man died in Woody's custody. It's a standard investigation, but Jordan you can't!"

I set the scalpel back down on the tray and removed my mask.

I gave in quickly knowing that it would have been horrible for Woody and I had I made that cut, or worse had my new name on the report.

I took my gloves off.

"Lilly, would you ask Bug to step in for me on this one?"

She nodded and went to get him as quickly as possible.

Nigel didn't understand. The only person that knew about the marriage was Lilly and Bug because they had been there. Lilly and Bug had been our witnesses.

"What's wrong with you Jordan? Darling, just pick up the scalpel and have a go. This is high profile; you would never give one of these up for anything in the world, especially with Woody at risk." He made a pouty face.

"I'd be risking him if I cut." I managed to say it calmly.

Nigel gave me a funny look. "It's an investigation report Jordan, on our friend Woodrow Hoyt, it's best if we take the reins on this one. We've done it before."

I decided I'd just say it. "Yeah, but last time this happened the last name of the M.E. wasn't the same as the officer being investigated."

I left the room leaving Nigel to figure it out.

I went to my office and Nigel followed me. "Wait up. Why didn't you tell me? Lilly obviously knows."

I sat down on my desk. "Nige, I just didn't want to make a fuss about it."

"Jordan, finally put down roots."

I smiled, "It's more like a balloon that got caught in the branches of a tree."

Nigel laughed hysterically at my analogy.

Macey came in. "Why aren't you two taking the case I assigned you?"

Nigel looked at me.

"Let's not make this a big deal, I turned it down."

Macey looked at Nigel.

"Don't look at me Macey. She's the wild one." He pointed at me.

He wanted to stay to witness this.

"Dr. Cavanaugh I'm busy, I don't have time for this."

Nigel burst out laughing and left.

"What's wrong with him?"

"He's laughing at my name."

"What? Cavanaugh?"

"Sort of. It's Hoyt." I said.

"Woody is fine."

"You didn't tell me about the investigation on Woody."

He looked like he'd been caught. "How did you find out about that?"

"I can't tell you."

"Lilly." He said knowing it had been her all along.

"You didn't hear it from me." I paused. "That's not why I didn't cut, it's Hoyt."

"Jordan, I don't have time for games."

"My name is Hoyt, Jordan Hoyt. I married Woody."

Macey put his hand over his eyes upset for a moment as if he were ashamed. "Why the hell didn't you tell me Jordan? Your name could have gone on that report."

"I know, Garret."

"How long?"

"Almost two months."

Lilly came in. "We got another phone call. This one is out in the country."

"Jordan, that's _your_ case. I don't want you anywhere near this investigation."

"I'm not leaving. He's my husband."

Garret spoke up. "I'm sorry, but that's strange to hear you say." He chuckled.

He got serious. "Now go. If you value your husband's career get in the van with Nigel and leave."

We started to leave. "Take Lilly with you."

"You told him?" She asked.

I glared at Macey. "He guessed."


	3. Chapter 3

The drive was unbearably long.

We pulled up to a homey looking Victorian style home. It was in the center of a small town a million miles outside of the city. It wasn't actually a home, the town doctor lived there, but it was their clinic. I grabbed my bag and went up the steps.

A teenager on a bike stopped to watch us go in.

When we went in I was shocked at what I saw. There were two bodies, two men, they were so mangled I didn't even know where to start.

In the middle of the mess was a young woman with a white doctor's coat on. She looked too small for it and a little too young for her own General Practice.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Hoyt, the M.E., this is Nigel Tanzin and Lilly Bug, that's not actually her name, and it's just too hard to say properly."

"I didn't touch anything."

I laughed, she sounded like a child accused of breaking something.

"Don't worry about it, what's your name?" I asked.

"I'm Olivia, Dr. Olivia Carter, the assistant GP here. I'm taking over for my uncle!"

I knelt down to try to determine how they died. "What can you tell us about these men?"

Olivia was startled that I talked to her. "Oh, um…" She pointed at the one I was examining. "That's Dewey O'Ryan, he is…was the biggest trouble maker in town. I went to high school with the both of them." She pointed at the smaller guy. "He's Blake Dipton, he's the late mayor's son. He was a bit quiet and all, hung with Dewey to be cooler." She cleared her throat. "Not to be spreading rumors…but they recently both went out with Sara Kent. I hope they didn't fight each other to the death for her."

We all looked at Olivia.

She looked surprised that we were surprised. "What, yawl never heard of a duel before?"

Nigel laughed. "Not in this century, love."

After that awkward moment and a few more the sheriff walked in and asked us if we had everything we needed.

Nigel and Lilly looked at me. "I think so, but it might be nice to examine the bodies at a coroners facility, is there one here in town."

He nodded. "Well, we've got the funeral home and the doctor's office. If you need to be cutting like you folks do it might be best if you use the operating room here at the office. We've got one of those."

I was hoping to get away from the flighty young doctor and a really rank smell in the clinic. "Yes, that would be fine. Could you lend us a few of your deputies so we can move these bodies into the OR?"

He went off to go find them.

I put my hand under my nose to quench the smell for a second.

Olivia looked around and started sniffing the air looking around for the source. "Would you excuse me?" I stepped outside to get some fresh air.

I sat on the porch and Lilly joined me.

"You worried about Woody?"

I nodded even though that hadn't been what I was thinking about.

"He'll be fine. You know he'd never kill anyone with intent no matter how horrible."

Olivia came out. "What?!"

I looked at Lilly telling her with just a look that I was going to mess with her.

"My husband, the cops think he killed some suspected drug dealer. We're not so

sure if he did it, but I'm worried he…" I saw the wide pupils in this girl's eyes. "I'm joking. My husband's a cop. Someone died in his custody and they're investigating him."

"Oh." She paused. "I came to tell you that the deputies put Dewey and Blake in the Operating Room."

"Thanks."

I went inside and Lilly stayed on the porch.

When I stepped over the threshold the smell hit me again making me feel like I was going to be sick and then I was.

Lilly rushed inside. "Are you alright?"

Olivia brought me into the exam room. I was dizzy. She pulled out her flashlight and had me follow it and then she started asking questions. "Are you feeling light headed, any pain or discomfort."

I pushed both her and Lilly away.

"I'm fine." I lied. "I had some bad Chinese food last night and I've been sick ever since. It's no big deal. Okay?"

Lilly shrugged her shoulders and walked out accepting my bogus story because she knew I always ate out, but she wasn't factoring in the fact that Woody cooked all the time. She probably just thought I was a bad influence on him.

Olivia wasn't convinced. "I'd feel much better if you let me check you to make sure you're all right?"

I got up. "No thanks." The room slanted dramatically to the left and I sat back down. "I think I need to eat something." I threw up once more and the world was right side up. "Or not."

"Please, let me do something."

I refused, but apologized for the mess and the trouble. I went into the OR after making a quick stop in the restroom to rinse out my mouth.

The autopsy revealed that both had been slashed a couple times with what appeared to be switchblades, but none of the gashes caused any fatal injuries.

"Why can't people just make it easy on me?" I thought out loud.

Olivia was observing now.

"Is there anything in their history that might lead to health problems?"

"I don't know about Dewey, he never goes to the doctor. His whole family has this weird fear of us. Blake has a heart condition, though, all the men in his family do. He used to get out of PE and everything sports related."

"Did Dewey play sports?"

"Yeah, football, why?"

"What's the difference in their age?"

"Blake was three years ahead of me and Dewey, and Dewey, he's…"

She realized that she just revealed her age. I could tell she hadn't meant to do that. "He's 28."

I pointed at Blake, "So the little guy wasn't into sports and was three years older?" I smiled, "I've got an idea, but I don't think it's going to be good for your gossip. Scalpel?"

I went over to Dewey and started cutting. I opened up his chest to reveal his heart. There was a very obvious genetic heart abnormality. "I knew it."

"What is it Dr. Hoyt?" Olivia asked starring a little horror struck at the open chest cavity.

"They died because their hearts stopped."

"Both of them?"

"I hate to tell you this dock, but I think your mayor had another woman because they're probably brothers." I started to close him up.

The sheriff knocked on the door. Olivia went out and left. When both boys were back in one piece I grabbed my bag and tried to leave. Nigel tried to stop me. "Don't you want to know how this happened, Jordan?"

Lilly added her 2 cents. "I for one want to know how they ended up fighting."

I sighed, "We're done."

"This isn't like you Jordan."

Olivia came back in. "The sheriff would like a word?"

We walked out. "Despite the fact that they both died from heart failure they were about to kill each other and I'd appreciate it if you would assist on the forensics to figure out why?"

Nigel and Lilly agreed for us.


	4. Chapter 4

Lilly went to find the victims families and Nigel and I went with the sheriff to meet Sara Kent, the old girlfriend.

When we walked up to the door she answered. "Hi, what can I do for you?" She was very bleak.

"We need to ask you a few questions about the boys?" She nodded and let us in.

We all sat down in her living room. "Do you know why Blake and Dewey would be fighting Sara?"

She shook her head innocently. I spotted a picture of the three of them on the mantel. "Is this you and the guys?"

She nodded and smiled for a fleeting moment, "That was the summer after high school graduation."

I asked another question. "Were you dating either one of the boys?"

"Blake asked me out once after college, but I turned him down. I never dated Dewey or Blake."

"Okay, let's go."

The sheriff looked annoyed. "Wait a second, you can't just…"

I watched Sara smile when she thought we were going to leave. "You're lying. You dated one of them."

She sighed, "I dated Dewey for a year, just in high school."

Nigel responded in his own way. "What a load of bunk."

"We might have gone out again when he came back from the city, but we ended it!"

The sheriff was shocked that I'd gotten her to talk. "Don't go anywhere, we might have more questions." As we were leaving I asked, "Is there anyone that the boys were involved with or might have had something against them?"

"There is this one girl that Blake was seeing, Suzie, Suzie O'Ryan."

Nigel cringed, "Let's hope it's not what we're all thinking."

The next trip was to see Suzie.

It was a small run down house on the farthest edge of town and I thought you couldn't get any farther from civilization.

When she saw us and the sheriff she wasn't afraid or happy she was angry. She turned around and yelled into the abyss of stuff that was her living room. "Alan! What did you do this time!"

"Didn't do nothing!"

The sheriff interrupted. "We're here to talk to you Suzie."

"Whatever for?"

"Just let us in."

We walked in but unlike at Sara's we couldn't sit anywhere. The chairs and furniture were covered in bottles, newspapers, and laundry. Every surface was horrible. We stood awkwardly where we should have been sitting.

"Were you dating Blake, Suzie?"

"Now what kind of personal question is that, Sheriff?"

"Answer the question."

"Yes, I am. Why does my dating Blake get the sheriff involved?"

We all exchanged looks. "You didn't hear about what happened in town yesterday?"

She shook her head. "Now I'm worried. Tell me, has something happened to Blake?"

The sheriff told her what had happened to him and that he was fighting with Dewy and his heart just stopped. "You knew about his family, his heart just couldn't take it."

"I swear, I'll kill Dewey for hurting him. My brother should know better than to mess with Blake." She started to cry hysterically.

This was difficult. I wished she'd already known. The sheriff spoke up, "Your brother had a heart condition as well, like Blake, he didn't make it. I'm sorry you had to hear about it like this."

She was freaked out; it looked like she was hyperventilating. "Excuse me." She ran outside.

I followed.

She threw up.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." She threw up again. "No I'm not."

"We'll take you to the doctor."

"No, my family don't go to the doctor."

"When you're sick you go. No questions asked."

She tried to refuse, but she was sick again. "Okay, I'll go."

I walked into the doctor's office with Suzie; Lilly was waiting inside. "I talked with Blake's mother, but I couldn't find O'Ryan's family."

"Lilly, this is Suzan O'Ryan."

"I'm so sorry for your loss, if you'd like to talk I'm here." Lilly was trying to be sweet.

Olivia came in, "What can I do for you?"

"Suzan needs you to check her out and make sure that she's okay." Olivia nodded.

I started to head over to Lilly, but she grabbed my arm. "Can you come in with me? I don't like doctors." She looked at Olivia. "No offence Doc Carter."

Olivia shrugged, none taken.

"I'm a doctor, Suzan." I said.

"Not that kind though."

Olivia took us both into the exam room. "Sit up here for me Suzan. Now tell me what's wrong?"

She stayed quiet, still uncomfortable with the idea of being here. I spoke for her. "She threw up three times."

Olivia gave me a dirty look. I knew that she was thinking that I should be sitting where Suzan is.

"Is that what happened?"

She nodded. "I've been sick off and on for the last three weeks."

Olivia checked Suzan's ears, and throat, heart and blood pressure etc. "Have you felt dizzy, overly tired…?"

"I just keep getting stomach sick and I'm real dizzy, can't keep my eyes open too."

"I'd like to take some blood, it could be a few things, but I'd like to be sure."

Suzan looked at me nervously.

I nodded. "That's a good idea. It'll tell her what's wrong and then she'll be able to help you. You don't want to wait and get worse."

She refused, "You ain't poking me with no needles!"

"That's good advice Jordan gave you. It'll definitely help you since you'll know what's wrong. It's better to know."

She looked at me and Suzan saw it.

"What's going on here?" Suzan demanded.

Olivia smiled, "Jordan here has the same symptoms that you do and she won't take the same advice she just gave to you."

"I told you it was…"

Suzan crossed her arms. "If you want me to do it you have to. Now I'm telling you the same thing. It's better to know what's wrong so you can be helped." She pushed me down where she had been sitting. "Come on now."

Stubbornly I rolled up my sleeve and exposed the crook of my arm. "I guess I have no choice."

Suzan let Olivia take her blood after she took mine. "I should have the results back for the both of you later today."

I rolled my eyes; this was ridiculous.

Suzan stayed to talk to Lilly and I went to the police station to talk to the sheriff. "You are sure this was an accident right, Dr. Hoyt?"

"The evidence suggests that they both died of heart failure due to heart abnormalities." I sighed, "Why?"

"It just didn't seem like it when I walked in. I had this feeling." He put up his hand. "I know you doctors just follow the facts and all, but…"

"I was going to say…that I work with my husband, he's a homicide detective and I have gone with his gut more than once and he's proved me wrong so if you think there's more to it I can take a look at the bodies, but if something happened it probably wont show up there. You want to know why they were fighting and that can't be found in their bodies."

He nodded. "I'll look into it some more, thanks."

I went back and did a preliminary exam on their bodies again.

Nigel was there. "What are we looking for?"

"I don't know." I stood there thinking. "What about their clothes? What was in their pockets?"

We went through the evidence bags. "The usual wallet and this soggy piece of paper. It looked too ragged to pull a part."

"Soak it and slowly unfold it."

Nigel did, it was a letter from Blake's father to Dewey.

Nigel was intrigued. "This explains it, their father died and him the letter telling him the truth, he knew Blake was dating his sister and didn't know if…you know." He paused. "Hence, their dual to the death, maybe knowing made Blake pissed, or maybe wanted to die."

"What?"

"He knew about his condition, if you found out that you were dating your sister what would you do. Maybe they set it up that way and Dewey didn't know that he could die that way."

"There's no proof that she's his sister."

"Yes, but usually in a case like this it happens."

I thought about my brother.

"Jordan, I didn't mean it like that. You know your not like him."

"I can only hope."

"Maybe Blake didn't have any of that hope."

I went to the sheriff with the letter.

"We have a theory. Blake and Dewey were brother's by their father. We think that when Blake found out about it he suspected that Suzan might be his sister and they either fought about it or planned to die, Dewey might have been an accident. I think it'll remain a mystery though."

He nodded. "I got nothing and thanks for letting me know. I'll be going. I need to tell Suzie."

"She's at the clinic, waiting for her blood test."

"She had a blood test? Oh, this just got complicated."

"What's wrong?"

"Doc Carter only takes blood for a physical and pregnancy and I think I know what's going on here." He paused. "Suzie's pregnant and it might be her brother's baby!"

"You can't tell her that!"

I was freaking out; Carter took my blood too and I had never considered that.

The sheriff told Suzie, but she reacted pretty calmly.

"I'm not his sister, I wasn't even Dewey's sister. I'm Dewey's cousin. His parents took me in when Dewey was two, I was about four, and he wouldn't know the difference. I don't got nothing to worry about. I only wish Blake and Dewey had known that."

Olivia called in Suzan and she left happy with the good news.

"Jordan can I talk to you." It was Olivia calling me in.

I sat down in the chair in front of her desk. "I got your blood tests back and I wanted to let you know before you left." She smiled. "Congratulations, Dr. Hoyt, you're pregnant."


	5. Chapter 5

Calls at 2am are the worst of all. Being on call as a coroner is the worst thing ever.

Regular doctors can go in and find live patients waiting for them.

My on call alarm went off and Woody's didn't. That meant I had to work with Ben, the sleazy guy that I thought would stop hitting on me after Woody announced the marriage.

He didn't.

I got to the house. At least this wasn't a double or a triple homicide because I had too many of those recently.

The apartment was pretty bare.

"You notice there are no photographs in here." I said to Ben knowing he probably hadn't done much yet.

Ben started to notice stuff once I pointed it out.

I felt like I had to do both of our jobs when I worked with him.

The woman was in the chair, her veins were dark blue and her eyes were bloodshot. There were needle marks in her arms, like those patients got from IVs not from shooting up.

She was in her pajamas and had a glass of wine on the table beside her. There was a picture frame in her hand; it was of a little girl in a soccer uniform.

The kid was getting a trophy; she was holding it high above her head like she'd conquered the world. The kid couldn't be more than four.

"Do you have a name for the victim?"

Ben read off, "Suzan Tenor, age 24, she's only been renting this place for the last 6 months. Before that she was in 12 different places all near the city."

"Does she have a kid?"

"Not according to my information. Why, beautiful?"

I ignored the last word. I handed him the photograph.

He laughed, "This kid is cute. She looks kind of like you." He tried to show me the picture again.

I ignored him.

I stopped examining the body and started to look around. "Who called it in?"

"The neighbor said she checked up on her every now and then. When she didn't answer the door she looked in the window and saw her like this, but she didn't say anything about a kid."

I went to the stairs and picked up a pair of pink cleats that were behind a couple of boxes. I held them up as if he was an idiot for not having found them before I got there.

I went up the stairs.

I remembered my mother, walking in and seeing the wreckage of the scene and I froze for just a moment.

"Anyone here. We need to make sure that you are alright." I hoped that if she were here I wouldn't freak her out even more.

I went to the closet, at first I didn't see anything, but then I saw a small fist gripping the bottom of a coat. She was trying to hide from us.

I sat down in front of the closet. "I can see that you're hiding, but you shouldn't be afraid of us. We're here to help you." I paused and waited hoping she would come out. "I'm Dr. Hoyt. What's your name?"

She glanced out slowly revealing a pair of the greenest eyes; there had been only one other person I knew with eyes like those.

"Emily. My name's Emily."

For a moment hearing the name in such a familiar situation made me freaked out, but then I saw the scared look on her face and I pulled myself together.

I smiled at her and said, "Nice to meet you Emily. I'm Jordan."

Her eyes went wide when she heard my name.

"What's wrong?"

The little girl didn't respond, but came out of the closet and held tight to me like her life depended on it.

I picked her up and took her half way down the stairs.

I called for one of the cops. "Have you analyzed the scene upstairs?"

He nodded.

"I plan on getting some of her things."

He looked confused. "Dr. Hoyt, if there had been anything up there we would have suspected she was here."

I took Emily upstairs and sat down on the bed in her mother's bedroom.

She wouldn't let go, she wouldn't talk to me, and eventually she fell asleep. Her grip didn't lessen though.

The cop I'd talked to came in. "I called CPS. They'll be here in about half an hour. Are you good with her till then. They said not to change anything if she's not freaking out. Your boss is here to finish up."

I nodded and adjusted Emily in my arms.

When the social worker got there I wasn't too pleased. She was older, had been through this a million times. The ones who have their job down to a science; they don't see children, but one more body to place somewhere else.

"Hello I'm Ms. Weller, Dr. Hoyt. I'm going to need you to wake her up and help me explain to her what's going on."

I started to wake Emily up as gently as I could. "Emily, come on. Open your eyes, it's okay."

Her nails dug into my arm when she opened her eyes.

I knew how she felt.

The social worker started to talk. "I know this is scary, but for your safety you need to come with me so that I can make sure that you go to a really nice home. You need to be good though, do you understand?"

I felt her nails dig even deeper into my arm. "I'm not leaving!" She started to cry. "I'm staying here."

I wrapped my arms around her and her grip lessened just slightly. "Emily?"

The social worker seemed annoyed that I had found her.

When the child bonds with someone random it's difficult to get him or her to go with the social workers.

I knew it was my job to help, but I wanted this kid to be okay.

Emily looked up at me expecting a question. Seeing her tear stained eyes made it difficult to say what I had to say. "You can't stay here anymore. Your mom can't take care of you. You're going to have to go with this nice lady and I'll make sure you go somewhere really nice okay?"

Emily shook her head. "My other mom said I had family. She said I didn't have to go with strangers."

The social worker got excited and confused at this comment. Any chance to place the child with biological relatives was a plus so that she didn't have to place anyone.

"What do you mean _other_ mom, Emily? Do you have names for your relatives?"

Emily nodded and smiled up at me.

I smiled back. "I want you to answer all of her questions okay."

Emily let go of my arm and sat down in my lap awaiting the social workers questions.

I breathed a sigh of relief hoping that her relatives were near by and could pick her up directly from here or the police station and she didn't have to go into the system.

"What's your name?"

"Emily." The sarcasm in the kid's voice was laughable if we hadn't been at a crime scene.

I could tell she thought the social worker was stupid.

"She means your full name." I explained.

"Oh, Emily Jordan Cavanaugh."

A gasped. Both Emily and the social worker gave me a confused look. "Continue."

"What are your parents' names?"

She hesitated then spoke quietly. "Mommy's name is Suzan Tenor, like in the music and Daddy…well…I never met him, but Mom said that his name was James, James Cavanaugh."

I gasped again. The social worker gave me a dirty look. "Is something the matter?"

"I'll speak to you about it in a moment."

"Your relatives, who are they?"

"I never met them. Mom said that I had an aunt, she said my aunt would be my new mom."

"Do you have their names?"

Emily nodded. "Aunt Jordan and she had the same name as me, but I don't think she does anymore though. Rings mean you're married right?"

The social worker nodded. "Or engaged."

"Ms. Weller, I'm not sure if this is a problem, I didn't know when you got here, but I am Jordan Cavanaugh; I got married recently and changed my name to Hoyt. James was my brother."

She looked a little freaked out. "I'm going to need to make some phone calls."

I didn't say anything to Emily I was even more freaked out then her.

The social worker came in.

"I have some bad news. Your brother's birth records don't exist and neither do Emily's so she is going to have to come with me until we sort this out. It can be as simple as a blood test and then we'll assess if your home is suitable for a child in this situation and if everything checks out we'll see what happens."

I felt Emily grip tight to my arms.

The social worker held out her arms for her.

"That's not going to happen." I paused. "Can I take her to the car?"

She sighed, and mumbled something under her breath.

I made out the word _difficult._

The social worker opened the door on the van and I attempted to unwrap Emily's arms from my neck. "You need to let go."

"No, I don't want to leave you. Mom said you'd take care of me, that you'd be my mom. Why are you letting her take me?"

As she started to cry I placed her in the car and buckled the seat belt.

The social worker closed the door. She handed me her card.

"Call my office and let them know you are the kin of Emily Cavanaugh and we will set everything up for as soon as possible."

I was numb. I could only hear Emily wailing. "Don't leave me! Don't go. Mom, don't leave me!"

Macey came out. "Jordan, what the hell is going on."

I was crying full force.

When I stopped I was sitting on the porch.

I didn't remember sitting down.

I had explained what had happened hysterically. Macey had listened the whole time. I wiped my eyes.

"I need a favor. Can you call Walcott?" Walcott was the District Attorney and she hated me, but she owed us.

A few hours later I was getting my blood drawn at the hospital and I was assured that Emily was too.

There was already a custody hearing scheduled to read the results of the test.

I didn't call Woody because I knew he was at work and wouldn't be off until after the hearing. I really didn't call him though because explaining it all over again would just make me cry again.

By the end of the day they had the results and I was showing up to hear them read. Emily and the social worker were waiting on a bench inside the courtroom.

The judge asked, "Is Mrs. Jordan Hoyt present?"

"Yes your honor."

"Than let the record show that Jordan Hoyt is a biological relative of Emily Jordan Cavanaugh and will here by be granted sole temporary physical and legal custody of her until that time that CPS makes their evaluation and permanent custody of Emily Cavanaugh can be determined. Case dismissed."

Emily ran over to me and hugged me. "I knew you could do it."

I took a deep breath and silently cursed the heavens. What the hell had I gotten myself into? I was responsible for a kid now; I couldn't be stupid if I didn't want her taken away. Now I just had to tell Woody.


	6. Chapter 6

On the way home we didn't talk.

When she saw the house she smiled. "It's huge. Do you have any kids?"

"No, not yet."

"Mom, can we go in?"

I hadn't realized I was just sitting there. She was the one who had lost someone and I was the one acting like everything was messed up.

"Are you sure you want to call me that?" I was worried that CPS wouldn't approve me even though I was already approved as a foster parent. I was also worried about her psychologically. Her mom had only died yesterday!

She nodded, "Yeah, I'm sure."

I got out and unbuckled her. I picked her up. She rested her head on my shoulder. I set her down and opened the door.

"Where's my room?"

I knelt down in front of her. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

She nodded.

I led her into the living room and I sat down next to her on the couch. "I really want this to work. I just found out you existed and you've known about me for a while so you can't expect too much too soon. I have a room for you, but we're going to have to change it a lot and my husband doesn't know about you yet either so there's lots to do. Do you understand?"

"I guess so." She paused. "Can you show me the room?"

She took my hand. On her wrist was a small birthmark; it was shaped like a half moon. It was identical to the one on my shoulder.

The room disappointed her. She tried to get up on the bed and couldn't. The mattress was too high. It was a guest bedroom. Things were going to have to change.

I felt really bad I hadn't called Woody yet.

We heard the door open downstairs.

She raced downstairs eager to meet him. I followed her in hopes of beating her to the living room. No such luck.

He was surprised to see a little girl hugging him after work. This kid was breaking barriers. Her disposition was exactly the opposite of mine.

"Jordan, would you like to explain what's going on?"

I came over and picked up Emily. I set her down on the couch and turned on cartoons that took no time to find because Woody watches them for fun.

We went into the kitchen. I could tell Emily was watching us and not the TV. I had to try though.

"Is there something you need to tell me Jordan because I'm a little confused here?" He got really quiet. "Is she yours because…"

I interrupted him. "It's not like that. You remember James right?"

He gave me a dirty look. He remembered the night James held me hostage.

"Anyway, that's his daughter."

"How did she end up here?"

"You know the 2am I got this morning. Her mother died, she was at the scene and she told the social worker that her mom told her that she was supposed to go to me." I paused letting him take in this information. "We had blood tests to confirm and the court gave me temporary custody."

His eyes widened. "Jordan, do you realize what you just said?"

I nodded with a panicked expression on my face.

"We haven't talked about kids yet. So?"

"You're asking me now?" I asked.

He nodded.

"I never wanted kids before, I didn't have a mother most of my life, but I figured you wanted kids."

"I might regret this, but I always imagined a big family." He flashed his million-dollar smile. Recently he would smile like that when he expected me to get mad at him.

"I'm warming up to the idea."

He tried desperately to keep his face blank but the words I just said made him ecstatic.

Really, I saw it like I had no choice. I was not capable of leaving Emily to the system, and she looks like my mom. Also the fact that I was pregnant was adding to the fact that there was no escaping having kids, but Woody didn't know that yet.

Woody doubted what I'd said. "Are you saying this because you want to be a parent or because you don't want her not to have one?"

It was crazy how well Woody could read me.

"I can make this commitment Jordan, it won't take me more than a second to decide to be that little girl's father, but you have to be there with me. You can't run away from this one."

"I'm serious." I smiled at him. "I can't explain it Woody." I tried to use the perfect words. "At first it's how you put it. When she said I was her aunt I just thought it was my place, but her mom told her, foolishly, that when she was gone she would have a mom and that I would be it." I laughed a little. "She's counting on that."

He pulled me out of the kitchen out of Emily's sight for just a moment. "This is for real?"

I nodded slightly confused at his reaction. "Are you okay?"

He gave me a look that said, _Are you kidding me?_, "We're parents, of course I'm okay, we have a daughter!"

He kissed me and then had a look of horror on his face. "What's her name?"

I hadn't realized that I hadn't said her name. "It's Emily, Emily Jordan Cavanaugh."

"That's awesome."

I brought Woody into the other room. Emily turned off the TV and came over to us when she saw us coming. "It's okay." She took a deep breath. "My mom said that you might not want me around, but I thought maybe…"

I got mad at her. I went down on my knees in front of her and forced her to look me in the eyes. "You cried heart wrenching tears when you left my side this morning and you've been calling me mom. I had to tell Woody what happened so he would know you." I looked up at Woody.

He bent down too so she was looking directly at us both.

"Now, if I'm the one you want to be your mom so be it. It's your choice, if you want me as a mom…"

Woody finished, "…then you get me as a dad."

"You mean you're not sending me away?"

"What gave you that idea?"

"You left the room, I thought you were mad with me."

"No, we're not mad at you." Woody said it with the greatest sincerity. "Maybe when you're a teenager."

We both called in sick and I told Macey to keep the Emily thing quiet for a little while until we could explain.

Meanwhile we took her shopping, redid the guest bedroom, and started interviewing babysitters from a list of local college students.

We had our first visit from CPS while we were painting her room dark blue with white stars. Woody added glow in the dark stars to practically every surface. Everything was purple and blue. It was a pretty neutral room age wise so I hoped we wouldn't have to change it anytime soon.

Woody didn't think that we should, but we took Emily to Suzan's funeral. I put my foot down. You're never too young for that. She might blame us one day for not bringing her.

It was a straightforward case, natural cause: cancer.

Emily cried and said goodbye, we told her she could come visit anytime she wanted. She understood, but she was really young and I didn't think she was going to remember much.

I had been older and I don't remember that much.

Although she was really sad about losing her mom the kid was resilient. She was determined to have as much fun as possible.

Woody kept saying "Like mother, like daughter," but I couldn't see what he saw. She was so much happier and easy going than me.


	7. Chapter 7

A really horrible call came in and none of the babysitters were available so the reveal of Emily happened a little sooner than Woody had planned. I took her into work with me knowing there was a childcare center I could leave her at while I handled the scene.

It was 8pm and Emily was in purple pajamas underneath a heavy red pea coat. It was snowing for the first time and that always meant a horrible night at work. I should have known what would happen when Woody was called in an hour ago.

Unfortunately I had to get Macey's signature to be able to leave Emily with the Daycare since she hadn't been there before.

As I walked into the office, everyone was busily moving about so at first they didn't notice, but when they spotted the adorable Emily clutching my hand it was like the parting of the red sea. They all starred.

I think it wasn't so much how cute she was, but the oddity of me holding a kid's hand.

We went into Macey's office. "Can you chill out?" Macey, said, "Good you're here, we have a bo…"

I pulled Emily in front of me before he said the word body. "Oh, hi, I'm Garret, your mom and dad probably make fun of me?"

Emily started to nod before I could stop her.

"I thought so."

I handed him the form. I picked her up and held her on my hip. Despite her age I was getting quite good at the balancing act.

Before I could stop her Emily continued to talk to Garrett. "Mommy says that you are funny, but that you're real nice. Daddy said you're like Mommy's Daddy. You tell her what to do and she gets mad at you and you can put her in time out."

He started to laugh and I was cursing myself for bringing her in here.

"I guess that sort of makes me your Gramps."

She nodded.

He signed.

"Thanks _Grandpa_." I said sarcastically.

I was the first one in the elevator to go down. Three techs and Bug and Nigel got on talking.

"He exploded. There…"

I put one hand over Emily's ear and pressed one side of her face against me in an attempt to block out the death talk.

"Guys do you mind?"

Nigel and Bug both shut up.

The techs were blocking their view of me.

"Is that you Jordan?" Nigel asked.

The techs tried to move out of the way, but couldn't.

"Yeah, guys."

"Aren't you interested in the gory details?"

"No, not right now." I put an extremely perturbed sound in my voice.

"Is there something the matter?" Bug asked.

One of the techs got annoyed. The guys hadn't moved when the doors opened. "She's with her kid. I wouldn't want my son hearing about death either. Now get out of my way."

The guys wanted to rush forward but were forced out of the elevator. They stood there blocking the doors watching me emerge with Emily in my arms.

They were speechless.

I ran past them without stopping. "Don't have time right now?"

When I walked up to the head of the daycare she wanted to talk with me.

Emily went and sat at a table and colored, she didn't approach the other kids so she was concerned. Luckily there were kids there, despite the late hour.

She took me into her office. "No offense, I'd like to sit down and talk to you, but I'm late for work. I'll give you the fast version. You do want background on us right?"

She nodded.

"Her name is Emily Cavanaugh, she's my niece, but she'll tell you I'm her mom. It's better that way. We adopted her about a month ago. She is the only kid we have and she's been an only child her whole life. My husband is a cop, and I'm a coroner upstairs. We're Jordan and Woodrow Hoyt. Our phone numbers are on the paper and as far as we know she doesn't have any allergies. If I missed anything please call. I have to go." I ducked out.

"The daycare is only open till 10pm!"

"Okay." I didn't think I could get done in less than two hours. I went up stairs and pulled on my gloves. "What do we got?"

"Three bodies discovered on the highway. One was on a motorcycle the other two in the car. That's not the odd part though. He's the reason they crashed." The intern pointed over at two slabs, one was a reindeer and the other was Santa Clause.

"Merry Christmas."

The intern looked freaked out that I thought the Santa Clause was funny. "Sorry, I've had my dark humor bottled up the past few weeks. Anyway, you've got the motorcycle; tell bug and Nigel they have Santa and Rudolph. I've got the car couple. I need to be out of here by 9:50 so work fast."

I assigned myself the couple thinking it would be a sign out. I couldn't have been more wrong.

A car had hit Rudolph, and Santa had a heart attack. The intern found that the motorcycle guy had fallen off the bike and then got ran over twice.

The usual bruises weren't clear in the accident, they had been wearing their seatbelts and neither of them seemed to have any outward damages to their bodies.

When I opened I was disturbed to find them both riddled with different issues, an enlarged heart, tumors, failing livers and many more complications. Any of these things could have killed them and they die in a car accident.

I was trying to focus on COD and not look at the bigger picture. When I had thoroughly examined them, there was only one thing left to do.

Identify.

I determined that they both died of heart failure due to their conditions. I ran their images through Nigels identification and got their names. I had Bug run a tox screen just to be sure, but the results wouldn't come in until after I made my report.

I checked out and went downstairs to get Emily. She was sound asleep. I picked her up after slipping her into her jacket and buttoning it.

It was exactly 9:55.

Nigel ran in, "You have to see this." I was so close to freedom and on top of that Emily was asleep.

"They died of heart failure because of this. He had a small vile. They're almost microscopic, but they are small pieces of metal, they had been injected into their blood streams, they died when they hit their hearts."

Emily woke up yawning. "Mom, where's Daddy?"

I rocked her back and forth, patted her back and she yawned and fell back to sleep.

Nigel starred opened mouthed at us. "I have to ask, who's the kid?"

"She's my daughter." I smiled, "Let's go."

We got in the elevator and headed back upstairs.

"Really, who is she?"

"I already told you." I laughed; he wasn't finding it funny.

I set her down on the couch in Macey's office. "You're the only one she met. Can you watch her for me?"

"Sure, how much trouble could she be."

I smiled.

"Jordan?"

"Let's hope she stays asleep."

I knew Macey was looking at her like he looked at me, like a bomb that could explode at any moment.

I worked with Nigel trying to figure out how they had taken in the metal into their blood stream, there were injection sites in their arms. "Nige, have you figured out what else was in their systems, maybe if we find the medicine, we can find the doctor."

"On it."

Macey was standing in the hall. He looked frazzled.

I pulled off the gloves and tossed them in the bin and came out. Emily was standing there wide-awake and Macey was covered in a brown stain that could only be coffee. "Get Woody to take her home."

Macey should not have said that.

I had gotten a phone call from Woody earlier telling me that Macey had requested him. "He can't, he's on this case. I know who sent him too."

Emily pointed at Garrett. "He did it." She giggled hysterically.

If it had been anybody but Macey I would have been laughing too.

"Mommy, why are you dressed funny?"

"This is my uniform that I have to wear to figure out what happened to people after their gone." I turned her around and fixed her braids. "Go wait in Macey's office for me."

She ran off almost knocking someone over. "She could only be your child Jordan."

"Why do I believe that isn't a compliment?" I sighed. "I can't work at night anymore Macey. You get me from 9 to 2 Monday-Friday, 9 to 7 on Saturday's and I'll be on call on Sunday's." Woody is 100% off limits on the weekend. We are only available to work together from 9 to 2 Monday through Friday. If you tell me a week in advance I can schedule extra work hours and schedule a babysitter."

"Are you seriously sticking to this schedule Jordan?"

I nodded. I knew it was a good idea for what would come next.


	8. Chapter 8

Woody and I both decided we would take Emily to her first day of school. We had kept her out of school for exactly four weeks since her mom died and we decided it was time.

During that time I made sure she was ahead of the rest of the class so starting late wouldn't hurt her. She had never been to kindergarten before because she hadn't legally existed.

The teacher assured us that she would be fine. I thought it would be Woody who would tear up, but it was me. He was surprised.

It wasn't saying bye to Emily that did it. I had to tell him about the baby, but I didn't know how. If I didn't tell him pretty soon he was going to start to notice.

He went to work and so did I. I could get through sign outs without any effort, but this time I was distracted. Lilly started to get suspicious of me. "Jordan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine."

She didn't let up. "Is it Emily?" She smiled, "It's her first day of school."

I nodded and went back to work. Lilly wasn't convinced.

Right before lunch I was finishing up another sign out and the worst nausea I've ever felt hit me. I didn't even take off my gloves when I left. I threw up in the restroom.

While I was rinsing out my mouth Lilly came in and leaned against the door. "Is there something you want to tell me Jordan?"

I shook my head and groaned. "Just go away."

Lilly laughed.

I didn't find it funny.

"I'm sick Lilly."

"If you're sick than you have to go home, you'd be contagious and you might infect the evidence." She laughed again. "But, if it's something else you don't have to go."

I wasn't looking at her, but I knew she was grinning from ear to ear. She loved this.

I was just going to ignore her, but she stepped up her game.

"I'll tell Macey you threw up."

As I walked past her I knew I had to give in. I hated myself for being so soft lately. "There's no reason for me to go home." I thought this was a masterful way of wording what I didn't want to say.

Lilly was overjoyed. "Congratulations Jordan!"

I hushed her. "Don't!" She could tell I was angry.

"Jordan, this is a good thing." Lilly gave me a look that said _I don't understand_. I pulled her into my office. "I know it's not the fear of being a mom, you already have Emily?" She studied me. "Jordan, Emily is great, another kid is no big deal."

"Lil', keep your voice down." I gave in; I had to talk it out. "I love Emily, I do, but she's already here. She walks and talks and knows not to eat toxic stuff. She tells me when I'm doing things wrong. I don't know how to do the other stuff."

I sat down on my desk. Lilly came over and sat next to me. "Jordan?" She smiled at me and half laughing said, "You are not alone."

I started cracking up because it was what I said to her when she was in my shoes.

"What did Woody say when you told him?" Lilly was eager to know.

I bit my lip and looked away from her.

"Jordan, you are going to tell him right?"

"Obviously, but I don't know how."

Lilly got sad. "I can't help you there. I just walked out and let Henry see my giant belly."

"You told Bug about Maddie though right?"

"Yeah, but I blurted it out to him, right before we were going to dinner in the elevator and then we didn't because it wasn't his kid." She paused, "I'm no help there Jordan, but you should tell him soon."

I still didn't say anything. I was probably just going to blurt it out whenever it was the right time, but I had been telling myself that for the last four weeks.

"How far along are you?"

"Fourteen weeks."

"What!"

"Lilly, what's wrong?"

"That's so not fair, you still look normal. At that point I swelled up like a balloon." She made a pouty face. "You better tell him soon because you don't have much longer."

"How long do you think I have?" It felt like I was asking when the world would be over.

"Maybe two weeks at the most. You should already be showing, besides, aren't you the doctor here?"

Bug came in. "Woody, is here with a hit and run victim." He looked between Lilly and me and wondered what we were talking about, he smiled knowingly, and then said, " The case isn't for you, but I thought, maybe, you'd like to know he was here?"

"Thanks Bug." He left and I turned on Lilly. "Did you tell him?"

"I didn't know."

"Did you tell him what you thought?"

"No, I wouldn't spread rumors. That's Nigel's job."

I left to go find Woody. I walked into the room where Bug was performing the autopsy. Woody didn't usually wait around here for the results, especially while we were cutting.

I looked at the person on the table. It was a girl about 10 and I knew why he hadn't left. I took his arm and led him out of the room with no difficulty. He didn't resist. "Woody, take a step back and breathe for a second."

He looked at me without really seeing me. He said, "Emily?" He seemed afraid.

I hugged him tight. "Emily is in school. She is perfectly fine. I'm perfectly fine and we are both still here. Come back Woody."

I felt his arms embrace me and I knew he was okay now. "It was awful at the scene. She looks like you, the both of you. I just couldn't…"

I looked up at him. "You couldn't think straight and your heart raced and suddenly everywhere you looked you couldn't find who you thought you lost." It's how I felt when my mother died.

After a few minutes we sat down outside the autopsy room. He pulled himself together and we both dried our tears. Crying was becoming a normal thing for me. Woody didn't really notice.

After another few minutes he said, "Let's get out of here."

I smiled at him. "I know the perfect solution."

I grabbed my keys and signed out of work abiding by my new check out at 2 O' clock rule. We drove to the kindergarten. We were there for pick up a little early but that was okay. Other parents were waiting too.

While we sat in the car I kept thinking I should tell him. This is it, but I didn't want to catch him off guard especially after this afternoon. When we walked up to get Emily she ran right into Woody's arms. It was all he needed to feel better.

At dinner Emily was there and I couldn't tell him. I was going to tell him later, but I fell asleep getting Emily to bed.

The next few days he took long shifts at work so I didn't see him much and there were no cases that went through our district.

Lilly had been right about the two weeks. In just a few days I couldn't button my jeans. I started wearing my work pants since they were a bit bigger.

I kept getting asked why I was so dressed up. "Half the time I beg you to dress like that Jordan. What's going on?" Macey was suspicious of my behavior. Everyone was.

"Laundry day." I smiled.

Macey gave me a dirty look.

Lilly, in front of Macey, said, "You should take pictures."

"What are you talking about?"

I reached. "She means that this is probably the only and last time you'll see me dressed properly for work."

Lilly nodded unconvincingly. "Whatever, you're hiding Jordan I don't care as long as it isn't illegal and doesn't affect your work."

Lilly shrugged her shoulders, "Well…"

I pulled Lilly into my office. "What's your problem?"

"I'm sorry, I can't help it. You're having a baby Jordan."

"What did you mean 'take pictures'?"

"Of your belly, it's cool to compare the months, obviously you're not in your jeans anymore." She paused, "Nice shirt."

I looked down at it. "What's wrong with it?"

Lilly got serious. "Is it the only one that you own that's styled like that?"

It showed off the neckline and then grabbed at the hips making the rest loose. I nodded. "How about you come to my house after work? You can borrow some of my old clothes, but Jordan, we should go shopping."

"You still have them?"

"I plan on having more kids." She said it so nonchalant.

"You never told me that."

"I thought you'd just assume." She changed the subject. "Tell Woody today, okay?"

I nodded, hoping that I really would.


	9. Chapter 9

After I left work I went to go pick up Emily and headed to Lilly's. Meanwhile the guys were at work.

I didn't know that Bug knew everything. I assumed he did because him and Lilly were married, but I didn't think he'd tell anyone.

I was wrong.

Nigel decided to complain about how off I'd been and how anything could make me cry and how I yelled at him and I didn't let him rag on Woody anymore.

Bug got mad. "You have to cut her some slack, Nigel. You can't complain, it's…"

Nigel grinned. "You know what's making Jordan crazy." He felt self-conscious. "It's not another tumor is it?"

"No Nigel. She's…" He walked away. "I promised Lilly I wouldn't tell."

"You both know and you're leaving me out." Bug didn't respond and Nigel followed. "What is it Bug, is she pregnant or something?"

Bug tensed and tried to hurry away from Nigel. "Thanks Bug." Nigel smiled like a fool.

Bug yelled. "You didn't hear it from me!"

Macey walked up. "What didn't you hear?"

Nigel continued to smile. "Jordan's got a bun in the oven, tootaloo, Dr. Macey."

A few hours after that Woody got a homicide call in our district and he would be dropping by the morgue.

While at Lilly's I tried on her old maternity clothes.

"Will anyone notice these are your clothes?"

"Just Bug and he promised he wouldn't say anything."

"You told him, Lilly?"

"Yeah, Jordan, he's my husband." She looked guilty when she saw my odd expression. "Sorry."

"Why is it so hard for me to be a normal human being?"

"Just tell him when you get home Jordan, just say _we are going to have a baby_, practice."

I gave her a dirty look. "Lilly!"

"You haven't said it out loud yet, have you?"

I shook my head.

"Go on."

I took a deep breath and smirked at Lilly. "We're going…" I faltered. "What if he doesn't want this Lilly? He said he always imagined a big family, but not until after I brought home Emily."

"It's Woody. Say it Jordan!"

"We're going to have a baby." I managed to smile as I said it. Emily walked into the room just at that moment.

She'd heard.

"What?"

After taking a deep breath I collected myself. "You're going to be a big sister Emily."

She came over to me and I lifted her onto the bed and sat down next to her. "That's so cool. One of my friend's said his mom was having a baby, but she was really round."

Lilly smiled, trying not to laugh. "Well, eventually you do get…" I used the word she had, "…round, but I'm not there yet."

Lilly decided to help me explain. "The baby grows little by little in your mom's tummy until it's born."

Emily scrunched up her face a little confused. "But how does it get in there?"

I glared at Lilly. "I think I've tried on enough clothes. We should be going now." I grabbed Emily's hand. "Let's go. Say goodbye to aunt Lilly."

Lilly hugged Emily and continued to laugh. I grabbed the bag. "I'll see you on Monday Jordan."

At the morgue everyone was able to hand Woody all the evidence he needed to close the case quickly. His happiness at the end of the day was mistaken by Garret as the happiness of a new father.

"Congratulations Woody."

Woody thought he meant the case. "It's awesome isn't it? The quickest success I've had all year."

Macey looked at Woody funny. "We must not be talking about the same thing."

"What did you mean?"

"You and Jordan, the news, it's great."

Woody smiled hoping to get whatever joke he thought Macey was making.

Macey took Woody's smile as that of acknowledgement. "I remember when Abby was born, it's the best day of your life."

Woody suddenly didn't look so happy, but Garret didn't notice.

He continued. "I can't believe you convinced Jordan to have kids. I know you have Emily, but Jordan didn't have time to think about that and…" Garret finally noticed the look on Woody's face. "You didn't know about this, did you?"

Woody gritted his teeth and smiled that scary smile in response to something awkward that put him in between a rock and a hard place. "Nope."

Woody walked through the door. I wanted to tell him after dinner, but Emily wasn't going to cooperate. "Daddy, guess what?" Emily looked at me. "Can I tell him?"

"No, I need to tell him."

I looked at Woody; I took a deep breath. "We're going to have a baby."

I waited for him to react. This was not what I expected.

"I know."

Emily made a pouty face annoyed that Woody wasn't celebrating as she had moments before he'd walked through the door.

"Garret congratulated me on the new addition to our family as I was leaving. I asked around, and I found out that almost everyone there knew or thought they knew already."

Emily frowned. "Daddy, aren't you happy?"

"I'm ecstatic about the baby, Emily." He managed a really genuine smile.

"But?" I asked.

"No buts, Jordan." He broke out the smiles and we hugged and we talked to Emily about how much fun a baby brother or sister would be. We learned she wanted a sister like Madeleine.

We ate pizza for dinner since Woody didn't feel like cooking. The only thing I can make is salad.

Since it was Friday night Emily watched TV until she crashed on the couch. Woody picked her up and I got her into her pajamas while she mumbled about the baby half asleep.

When we finally got into our own room I expected Woody to turn on me, but he didn't. We got in our pajamas and got into bed. I thought maybe he wasn't talking to me.

"Woody?"

"What is it, Jordan?" He didn't seem upset.

We laid down in bed. I was starring off the side. I turned around and found him looking at me when he usually slept facing the other direction. "Why aren't you mad at me? You had to…you had to find out from someone else?"

He smiled at me. "Jordan?" His expression got giddy. "We're having a baby."

I looked at him nervously still afraid that he was mad. "Woody?"

He got a little more normal. "Yeah, I had to find out from Garret which is not exactly what I would have imagined, but you got the courage to tell me, even if you needed Emily's help and I just can't stay mad at you."

I got annoyed. "You're looking at me and all you're seeing is the prospect of a baby. That's why you're not mad!"

Woody was in trouble and concerned. "Jordan? Do you want this? I know we talked about Emily and I told you I wanted a family and you told me you wanted Emily, but you never said anything else about kids after that. What do you think?

"I knew about the baby before I knew about Emily." I could tell this wasn't what he expected. "I was having a panic attack every other hour at the prospect of being a mother and then Emily…she called me mom. Don't get me wrong; I'm still terrified that I'm going to screw up Emily, let alone another kid. I'm a basket case. What if I lose my mind like my mom did?"

"You're not your mom Jordan." He smiled. "Not to be insensitive, but we're having a baby!"

I smiled. "I don't think I can warm up to things, they just kind of have to happen to me. I fight till the last second possible and then it takes me even longer to give in."

Woody smiled, "I can accept that, but do you want to warm up to the idea of the baby?"

I nodded and then became hysterical. "I feel like a horrible person for thinking this way."

He knew what I meant. I didn't have to explain. I was afraid that I wouldn't love the baby, not the way he did. He believed that things would just click for me when they felt right and I needed to have faith that they would. The problem is I have an issue with faith too. He held me close until he thought I was asleep.

He kissed me on the cheek and then he kissed my stomach. "You are wonderful and we love you." He turned over and went to sleep.

Hearing him say those words, I knew they were true. I still didn't know how to do this.


	10. Chapter 10

I was able to hide the belly under Lilly's clothes for kind of 3 weeks and then it was all over. Everyone knew when I walked in the room. I could take the congratulations and the cheesy "When are you due?" question, but I was going to kill the next woman who thought she had a right to touch my stomach.

When I walked onto the scene Woody was there. "Hey Jordan."

Woody's new rookie partner tried to be courteous and _Give me a hand._

Woody pulled him back like there was no tomorrow. "If you want to keep your hand you better back away from her!"

The kid froze scared and confused.

I shook his hand. "Dr. Jordan Hoyt, what's your name?"

I knew what Woody had nicknamed him, but not his actual name. "Mitchell Caravell." He realized who I was. "You said, Dr…?"

"Hoyt, that's right, I'm Woody's wife."

The kid looked even more afraid.

I slowly knelt down to observe the body. I tried not to notice how much time it took me to kneel down.

"The victim appears to have been struck from behind by a blunt object." The wound was shallow and out of place. "All the other injuries appear to have been from a sharp weapon, a little larger than a knife. They're jagged so it might not be a real blade, but something more like a shank." I paused to take a closer look at the gash across his stomach. "This was the wound that drew the most blood, this isn't where he died."

Woody got annoyed. "How come?"

"He bled out slowly while he was alive. Do you see that much blood around here? I don't."

Woody was upset that this got complicated.

Mitchell was eager to learn and was grinning from ear to ear. "She rocks." Woody turned on him and gave him a dirty look.

"Sorry, sir."

I smiled.

When I got back to the morgue Lilly had Madeleine in her office. I stopped by to see her. "You know she can't be here right?"

Lilly rolled her eyes. "Don't get on my bad side Jordan. You're going to have a baby soon and you don't want me telling on you do you?"

I didn't plan on having the baby in the morgue ever. The kid wouldn't make it past the daycare. It had been a mistake to bring Emily up here even that once.

Lilly had given birth to Maddie in the morgue. That was even crazier. "See you Lilly."

She started to play peek-a-boo with Maddie and she didn't say good-bye.

I walked into the autopsy room to start further analysis when the phone rang on the wall. I picked it up. "Dr. Hoyt, I have a call for you from St. Mary Elementary."

"Put them on."

There was a click, "Hi this is Carol Ortega from St. Mary's nurse's office. Is this Emily's mother Mrs. Hoyt?"

"Yes." I didn't bother correcting the doctor thing. "What can I do for you?"

Just the mention of the nurse sent my mind spinning. Was Emily okay?

"I called to let you know that your daughter threw up today during recess and she has a fever according to the nurse. We need you to come and pick her up as soon as possible and keep her home until she's been fever free for 24 hours."

"I'll be there as soon as I can. Bye."

"Good bye Mrs. Hoyt."

I showed up at the nurse's office. She led me into the room where she was lying down on the bed. At first I was worried about her and then about me getting sick and then I saw her. She held out her hand. I went and wrapped my arms around her with no concern for all of that.

I placed my hand on her forehead. "Let's get you home."

"Mommy, I threw up."

"I know sweetheart."

I felt terrible for what I was about to say. "Emily, mommy can't carry you to the car so I'm going to need you to walk for me, okay?"

"Okay?" She said weakly.

I signed her out and took her home.

After I gave her some medicine I got her into her pajamas. I set her up on the couch watching a Disney movie. After Emily showed up in our lives Woody went and bought tons of stuff for her. Now I had no idea what to get her for Christmas.

There was a knock at the door. I got up thinking it was a solicitor or something. I was shocked at who I saw and then unsure of what to say. "Dad?"

At first he didn't notice. "Jordan, I've been calling you for a week." He looked down at my belly. For even greater affect my left hand with the wedding ring on it was rested on my stomach.

"What's going on here? Jordan?"

I put my hand up against the doorjamb hoping that he wouldn't come in.

"Jordan, who's the father?"

"Woody. Dad I'm kind of busy."

"Are you going to work?"

"Not exactly."

"You better be engaged at the very least?" His Irish Catholic ideals were clearly the only thing on his mind right now.

"We're married."

"You're what?" His voice was loud enough that it reached Emily.

"Mom! Who is it?" I could hear how sick she was in her voice, but it was loud enough for Max to hear.

"_Mom_?" The sarcasm in his voice was mocking.

I tried to close the door on him. "Good bye Dad."

He stopped it and came in.

He starred at Emily and she starred at him.

"Hi." She said weakly. "Mom, who is this?"

I took a deep breath. I went over to Emily. I softened my voice. "Emmie, this is your Grandfather Max."

He looked over at me. "_Who are you_?"

"Dad, go in the kitchen. I'll be there in a minute."

I knelt down in front of Emily. "I'll be right in there if you need me okay?" I kissed her on the forehead.

I walked into the kitchen. "What are you doing here?"

"Like I said, I've been trying to reach you for a week. I wanted to make plans to see you over Christmas and now I see there's even more reason to be around for the holidays."

I didn't say anything.

"I never thought you'd get married."

"Thanks Dad."

"Jordan, you know what I mean."

I sighed. "After the plane crash Woody asked me if I planned on leaving and I said no. He proposed, only Lilly and Bug were at the wedding and we didn't make it a big deal. We only told people two months later because we kind of had to because of work."

"Plane crash?" He asked looking really worried.

I had forgotten that I hadn't told him. Mostly, we had all been okay.

"Everyone is fine. We were just shaken up. It's been forgotten."

He pointed towards the living room with a look that seemed to question Emily's very existence.

"About two months ago I got called to a crime scene. It was natural causes: Suzan Tenor." I started to whisper. "James and her had Emily. Her mom found out about the cancer when Emily was two. She told Emily from that day on that her aunt Jordan would be her mom when she was gone. Emily had seen pictures of me so she knew me when she saw me. Woody and I adopted her."

He started to stare at my stomach again. "I never thought you'd be convinced to have kids, Jordan?"

I didn't know how to respond to that. "It wasn't exactly my idea."

He nodded, "I'm stunned, just stunned." I wasn't sure what he was thinking. "Congratulations, when...?"

I finished for him, "When am I due, right?"

He nodded.

"April."

He took in the fact. "That's just great Jordan. Back to why I came, what are you doing for Christmas? It's only three weeks away."

"No plans, we're staying here to give Emily a normal Christmas."

He smiled. "I want to have you over, all of you for Christmas Eve dinner."

"Lilly, Bug, and Madeleine, and Nigel too, Macey and maybe Abby. They're family."

"Everyone Jordan."

"I have to get back to Emily."

He headed into the living room and knelt down in front of Emily. "Get better sweetheart. I'll be seeing you soon, okay? Your mom's going to take good care of you."

He left. I lifted up Emily's head and lowered her back down on my lap. I stroked her hair until she fell asleep. Then I was stuck there; didn't think this one through.

I was asleep like this when Woody walked in.

"Jordan?" He prodded me. "Wake up."

I lifted up my head starting to feel the stiffness of my neck. I picked up my hand off of Emily and rubbed my neck. "Hi."

He laughed to himself. "You guys are so cute."

"I am not cute Woody!"

This only made him smile more.

He picked up Emily and let her head rest on his shoulder. She was already too big for this. He tucked her in and wiped the sweat from her forehead. He kissed his fingers and placed them on her forehead. "I think her fever may be going down."

"Good." I sighed.


	11. Chapter 11

The phone rang in the middle of the night. Whoever that is I'm going to kill them! I thought to myself. I rolled over to get my phone, but it wasn't mine ringing.

Woody hardly ever woke up for his phone at night. I'm surprised he was ever at an early call before we were together.

"Hello Hoyt's phone."

"Jordan?"

"Hi Captain."

"Can you tell Woody we've got a body drop?"

He also gave me the address and I wrote it down on a post it and stuck it to Woody's forehead.

"Wake up Woody!"

I turned back to the phone call.

"Thank you Captain." I said it brimmed with sarcasm. "I hope he's not your go to guy for night calls anymore. That's what rookies and single cops are for. If he's up for promotion, than never mind. By the way this is me just being me." I added that tidbit on so he didn't get in trouble for anything I did or said.

"Have a good night Dr. Hoyt."

I scoffed and let him hear it before hanging up.

Woody reached out for me in his sleep, made the cutest sad face I'd ever seen when he didn't find me there and then woke up to find the blue paper over his eyes. "What the…?"

"Now that was cute."

He looked at the post it and then gently pulled me back into bed on his side. After a while like this I said, "You have to go Woody."

"No." He got up despite his answer and the cold hit my back. I rolled over into his place and rested my head on his pillow.

When he was fully dressed he came over and kissed me goodbye. "Don't forget that you can't send her back to school even if she's okay in the morning."

"But…" I started to protest.

"It's the same at the morgue only _people_ actually get sick."

I threw my pillow at him as he left knowing I couldn't yell at him. "I'm a doctor."

He threw up his hands in defeat. "Don't try that on the school nurse."

He smiled, tossed the pillow gently on the bed and headed out trying to avoid the squeaky floorboards. A minute latter I heard the squeak and then the whoosh and click of the door.

No sooner had Woody been out the door that Emmie was out of bed and ready for the rest of the day. Her fever had broken in the middle of the night and she seemed completely right as rain. Now I didn't get to go to work and I had to deal with the most energetic child in the world making up for 24 hours of illness.

"I'm hungry." She crawled into bed with me and I pulled her close.

"Hungry? Why?"

"Mom." She said annoyed with me.  
"Let's go baby girl."

I got up and pulled out a cereal box and some milk.

"Really? Daddy makes pancakes."

"I'm not Daddy."

She rolled her eyes and I saw my usual reaction from her. "What?" She asked feeling awkward.

"Nothing." Note to self; try to stop doing that. "You're beautiful."

She rolled her eyes again.

"Emmie?"

She looked nervous. "What Mom?"

"You know how Daddy told you that lots of people think Mommy has a bad attitude."

"No." She said it smiling. She remembered.

"Anyway, I do. Try not to roll your eyes like I do. I'm going to try to stop too okay?"

She nodded. "Why would people think that's bad?"

"Well, people see how annoyed you are with them. It's better not to let them know."

We watched a movie and we took a walk. I made grilled cheese for lunch. "See Mom you can cook."

"I never said I couldn't, but I can't. Your Dad taught me how to make this."

Woody got to leave work early since they solved the case.

"Daddy!"

He picked her up. "I see you're feeling better."

"Yep." She popped the P.

"What did you do today?"

"We watched a movie and went for a walk and we played bored games and we ate grilled cheese. Thanks by the way."

Woody looked over at me confused. "You had a big day. School tomorrow though."

She pouted. "I'd rather stay with Mom!"

She wriggled down.

Woody came over to me. "How are you two doing?"

"Good."

"Only 4 more months and we'll have two kids."

"Don't remind me."

"Oh by the way, Max came by yesterday."

"Your dad?"

I nodded. "He invited us over for Christmas."

Woody looked unsure of what to say. "He knows about everything?"

I nodded. "Emily, the baby, you, everything."

"What do you want to do?"

I gritted my teeth trying not to roll my eyes.

"What was that face?"

"Nothing, I told Emily to try not to roll her eyes and I said I would try too."

Woody laughed.

I turned away from him. "I'm sorry."

He hugged me.

"Not that this will help me with my apology, but I think we should probably attempt to make nice with your dad."

I sighed. "You're probably right, but I still don't want to go."


	12. Chapter 12

I made plans to have dinner with Dad, just Woody and I though. The next weekend we showed up on his doorstep. Woody knocked for me; I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Where's Emily?" He asked after seeing the two of us.

Hearing her name in his voice made me want to cry. I was surprised I didn't with the way I had been lately.

Woody did the talking too. "She's with Lilly tonight."

"Why?"

I was annoyed. "I don't want her getting used to someone who is just going to bolt."

Out of anger he retaliated. "The same could be said about you Jordan."

Woody tried to stop me, but he couldn't. "She's my daughter and I'm not going anywhere no matter what happens."

That hurt him pretty bad. He'd just disappeared on me without a word.

"You'd choose your job over any of us." He said out of spite.

"If I had to, I would quit my job tomorrow for Emily and the baby!"

He just starred at me. "You're better than me Jordan." He consented. "I shouldn't have left, I wasn't good enough to realize that when it was time to be there for you, but I can be a grandfather to Emily. She deserves that and much more. So does that baby." He pointed at my stomach.

"Let's eat." Woody said after a long awkward silence.

Once we sat down at the table I could tell Woody thought it was over. It wasn't.

"Emily has lots of people in her life that are not going to run away, tons of family."

"What family?" Dad asked bitterly.

I looked over at Woody. "She has the two of us and she has Lilly, Nigel, and Bug as an aunt and uncles, and Madeleine as a cousin. As far as she's concerned Macey is Grandpa."

I could tell these words were as bad as if I had slapped him.

Woody tried to smooth it over. "She can have two grandfathers." He said sadly making me remember that he'd lost both his parents.

I looked at him and then closed my eyes. He didn't have either of his parents and I had Macey and Dad and I wasn't treating Dad very well, even if he deserved it.

"Emily wanted to come. I stopped her." I said.

Dad looked up at me.

"She said you seemed nice."

He just waited calmly. He knew I didn't want a response. It was already hard enough for me to admit that I was wrong for fighting with him. I didn't admit it outright and no one apologized so Woody never caught on that everything was okay.

We proceeded to talk about sports, and Dad's attempt to buy back his bar, we talked about cases and what Emily wanted for Christmas. The last topic was the shortest since she didn't ask for any gifts especially after we bought her so many things. She still wasn't used to having parents to buy her things.

When we stepped out onto the porch Woody turned to me. "Maybe we shouldn't have come?"

"What?" I was shocked. "Woody! I all but surrendered in there. We're going to come here for Christmas dinner!"

"When did you say that?" He was trying to remember.

"I didn't have to."

"I'm confused."

"When I stopped arguing it was my white flag, my way of telling him that we're done arguing, that we're okay now."

"He knows were coming?"

I smiled, now amused at his confusion.

"How can you talk with him _without_ talking?"

"It's just the Cavanaugh way. We've always been like that. When Mom passed we just sort of could look at each other and tell what the other was thinking."

Realization suddenly split his face. "Is that what you're doing?"

"What?"

"With Emily, before you put her to sleep?"

"Am I?" I really didn't notice that I didn't talk to her when I was convincing her to get into bed.

"You give her this look without saying anything and she freaks and then doesn't want to go to bed. I haven't heard you say bedtime once, but she knows and then she comes to me and begs me to let her stay up."

"She does?" I asked smiling at how cute she was. I was getting soft because of that little girl and I didn't mind one bit.

"You come in and pick her up and just carry her off like you're telling her that's the end of it."

"Should I not do that?" I wondered if I would make her like me, unable to communicate properly with others, which leads to anger problems from not being understood. It was a lot more complicated than that, but…

He shook his head. "You've got to teach me this language."

"I don't know if it can be taught." I said, I hadn't even known that I did it.

"You taught her."

"Whatever it takes."

"For what?"

"So she doesn't end up like me."

"Jordan?"

"Yeah."

"What's wrong with where you ended up?"

"I'm a crazy, motherless, M.E. that puts herself in danger for no reason. I cut up dead people Woody!"

He laughed. "That's not who you are anymore."

I gave him a confused look. My situation had changed, but that was still me. At least that's what I thought.

"That person would have ran from a proposal. She would have knocked me out with her guitar for even thinking it. She would have tried to take in Emily, but she would have left her with a full time nanny. I admit that you are an M.E., but…Jordan, if you look at your life right now, what defines you the most?"

I responded immediately. "Emmie." Another moment went by. "And you."

"You're not a crazy, motherless M.E., you are a caring mother and wife. Great job, friends that you define as family, and you just tried to heal things up with Max. You are not who you think you were Jordan."

Although I loved him for saying what he said, and I needed to hear it, it was much too emotional for me. I was caring, but still not romantic and sappy.

"I'm still crazy." I said.

"I'll give you that one. Anybody would have to be to put up with Emmie and me."

I rolled my eyes.

"I thought you weren't going to do that?" Woody mocked.

"Shut up Woody!" I kissed him and then we got in the car and drove home to find a very hyperactive Emily whom Lilly had fed chocolate.

**A/N: It's not done yet. Just started a new semester and I have loads of homework, but I will be writing. Sorry if I don't post as often as before.**


End file.
